AURN News

Hurricane Milton is now a Category 5 storm heading toward Florida’s Gulf Coast, with the Tampa Bay area expected to take the brunt of the hit by Wednesday. The Biden administration is mobilizing federal resources, including U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) teams, ambulances, and millions of meals and water supplies to assist in preparation and recovery.

President Biden approved Florida’s emergency declaration to ensure federal support is available for evacuations, search and rescue, and storm response. With the region still recovering from Hurricane Helene, efforts to clear debris and prepare the area for another storm are critical. The storm surge could reach eight to 12 feet, and rainfall may cause widespread flooding in the region.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been stressing the urgency of clearing debris left by Helene to prevent any additional damage.

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Today, President Joe Biden and the First Lady will mark one year since Hamas' brutal Oct. 7 terrorist attack when militants killed 1,200 people in Israel during a music festival. They'll be joined by a rabbi and participate in a candle-lighting ceremony.

In a statement, Biden reaffirmed U.S. support for Israel's right to defend itself and condemned the rise in anti-Semitism. He noted the war's toll on Palestinians, with over 41,000 deaths, many of them women and children, and said efforts for a ceasefire must continue.

Meanwhile, Justice Democrats criticized the U.S. government's handling of the conflict, calling it a genocidal campaign against Palestinians. The group renewed calls for a ceasefire and urged Biden to stop sending weapons to Israel, advocating for peace and de-escalation of the region and accusing the U.S. of succumbing to political pressure from Israel's leadership.

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Vice President Kamala Harris is set to make a major media push this week as early voting kicks off, with a series of high-profile interviews before heading to the West Coast.

According to a senior campaign official, Harris will appear on "The Howard Stern Show," "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," and "The View." This media tour also includes a previously announced "60 Minutes" interview airing on Monday, as well as a feature on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, releasing on Sunday.

Later in the week, Harris will travel to Nevada and Arizona. In Las Vegas, she will join a Univision town hall and other events on Thursday, followed by campaign stops in Arizona on Friday to encourage early voting.

Meanwhile, CBS News reported that former President Donald Trump canceled a planned "60 Minutes" interview.

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In this episode of Hollywood Live, Tanya Hart dives into Taylor Swift’s surging popularity following her endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris. Despite Donald Trump’s prediction that Swift would “pay a price” for the endorsement, the opposite has happened. Taylor has seen a spike in followers, gaining 1 million on Spotify and increasing her Instagram count by 260,000, bringing her to 280.3 million followers. It seems Kamala Harris is good for business, which might be why Bruce Springsteen has also voiced his support for the Vice President.

Tanya also explores the controversy surrounding Beyoncé’s country album, Cowboy Carter, which recently made history on Billboard’s Top Country Album Charts but was snubbed by the Country Music Awards. Despite praise from fans and country artists like Luke Bryan and even Dolly Parton, the album failed to receive a single nomination. Tanya points out that while the country world may feel the need to honor its long-standing members, Beyoncé has been in the music game her entire life. For these stories and more, follow Tanya on social media and check out AURN’s YouTube channel for exclusive interviews with stars like Debbie Allen and Fat Joe.

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(AURN News) — In a powerful testament to Black entrepreneurship and perseverance, Dave Steward has secured his place among America's financial elite. The latest Forbes 400 list of the nation's wealthiest individuals features Steward as the richest Black man in America, with a remarkable net worth of $11.4 billion.

At 73 years old, Steward's journey from humble beginnings to the pinnacle of business success is nothing short of inspirational. Born in Chicago and raised in Clinton, Missouri, he broke racial barriers early in his career as the first person of color hired by the Missouri Pacific Railroad to sell rail services.

However, it was Steward's founding of World Wide Technology (WWT) in 1990 that truly set him on the path to unprecedented success. From its St. Louis headquarters, WWT has grown into a tech powerhouse, providing crucial solutions to over 80% of Fortune 100 companies. Today, WWT stands tall as the largest Black-owned company in the United States, boasting annual revenues surpassing $20 billion and employing more than 10,000 people.

Steward's achievements extend far beyond his business acumen. His 50-year marriage to his wife Thelma and their family of two children and two grandchildren showcases his commitment to family values and community.  Tied for 84th place on the Forbes 400, Steward's presence on this prestigious list is particularly significant given the exclusive nature of the rankings. This year, a minimum net worth of $3.3 billion was required just to make the cut, with the 400 listees collectively worth a staggering $5.4 trillion.

As we celebrate Steward's accomplishments, his story reminds us of the untapped potential within our communities and the importance of creating and supporting Black-owned businesses. It's a powerful narrative of what's possible when talent meets opportunity, and barriers are broken down one success at a time.

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(AURN News) — Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, the only Haitian-American in Congress, is championing policies to support Haiti and strengthen U.S. trade relations with Caribbean nations. Representing Florida's 20th congressional district, Cherfilus-McCormick views her role as pivotal in shaping Haiti policy.

"This fight for Haiti is really a fight that I'm passionate about, it's very personal," she said. "I remember growing up and always having the narrative and the turmoil of Haiti being told by people who didn't understand Haitian people, didn't understand the Haitian American experience."

The congresswoman also emphasized to AURN News Haiti's historical contributions, which she says are often overlooked in American discourse.

"Haiti not only fought for its independence, being the first black nation to be independent, but after that fight for independence, Haitians in Haiti went on, really, on a tour, kind of where they aggressively fought for freedom for everyone, even fighting for the United States, even making sure we expanded through the Louisiana Purchase," Cherfilus-McCormick stated.

Addressing misconceptions about Haitian immigrants after unconfirmed rumors were spread on social media and by former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance regarding Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio eating people’s pets, the Florida congresswoman said, "Every Haitian who leaves Haiti to come to United States is so grateful that they get to actually work hard and escape some of the political turmoil that they want to give back to the United States."

The congresswoman also addressed broader political concerns, warning against divisive rhetoric targeting immigrants. "We're in an extremely divisive moment... Even though we're hearing some political candidates talking specifically about Haitians, we shouldn't sit back and think that that's just a Haitian thing, because he's [Trump] really coming for anyone who is Black," she cautioned.

She called for unity, stating, "We have to stand adamantly and vehemently against any form of hate, any form of just trying to divide us as a community and make sure that we are practicing a more inclusive community and more inclusive government."

On trade policy, the congresswoman advocates for fair practices and lower tariffs. "I've been really advocating for fair trade practices and lower tariffs so we can help businesses and farmers compete in the global market, strengthening their economic ties and providing opportunities for long-term growth, not just for them, but for Americans," she explained.

Cherfilus-McCormick tells AURN News that she supports trade agreements for not only Haiti but other Caribbean nations as well. "If we look at all the great jobs that come at the ports, those jobs are good paying jobs, unionized jobs, and we see more people, especially in my district and being in Florida, working at those ports. And that comes from having good trade policies, that we have more American jobs. And so traditionally, I think when people think of trade, they're not seeing the benefit to American workers and to the country," she said.

“How can we strengthen the Caribbean so we can have the Caribbean nations not just being strong allies, but being economic partners, but we see more Americans being able to capitalize on those markets and growing,” she added.

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(AURN News) — A new NBC/Telemundo poll reveals a breakdown of Latino voting patterns as the 2024 presidential election approaches. The survey of 1,000 registered Latino voters offers a complex picture of political leanings and priorities within what many consider to be a crucial voting bloc. The poll shows 49% of Latino voters identify as Democrats or lean Democratic, compared to 37% who align with or lean towards the Republican party. 

When asked about racial identity, a majority of respondents (59%) classified themselves as white, while only 19% chose Hispanic and 3% identified as Black. The Democratic ticket of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz leads the Republican duo of former President Donald Trump and Sen. J.D. Vance, 54% to 40%. 

On specific issues, Harris generally polls better than Trump among Latino voters. She leads in areas such as treating immigrants humanely, abortion rights, and addressing Hispanic community concerns. Trump, however, maintains an advantage on economic issues, border security, and immigration control. The economy remains a top concern for Latino voters, with a striking 77% rating it as fair or poor. Only 23% view the current economic situation as excellent or good.

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(AURN News) — The U.S. economy added 254,000 jobs in September with the unemployment rate holding steady at 4.1%, although it is higher than last year, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Restaurants and bars led the way in hiring, adding 69,000 jobs last month. This surge far outpaced the industry's average monthly gain of 14,000 over the past year. Healthcare also saw significant growth, with 45,000 new positions, particularly in home health care, hospitals, and nursing facilities.

“Today, we received good news for American workers and families with more than 250,000 new jobs in September and unemployment back down at 4.1%. With today’s report, we’ve created 16 million jobs, unemployment remains low, and wages are growing faster than prices. Under my Administration, unemployment has been the lowest in 50 years, a record 19 million new businesses have been created, and inflation and interest rates are falling. And we’re seeing the power of collective bargaining to lift up workers’ wages—including the progress made by dockworkers on record wages with carriers, and port operators and the reopening of East Coast and Gulf ports,” President Joe Biden said in a statement Friday morning.

Government employment increased upward by 31,000 jobs. Local and state governments accounted for most of these gains. Social assistance and construction sectors also saw notable increases, adding 27,000 and 25,000 jobs respectively.

Despite the robust job growth, there are signs of ongoing challenges in the labor market. The number of long-term unemployed - those jobless for 27 weeks or more - remained at 1.6 million, up from 1.3 million a year ago. Additionally, the number of people working part-time for economic reasons stood at 4.6 million, an increase from 4.1 million last year.

Wages continued to rise, with average hourly earnings increasing by 13 cents to $35.36. This represents a 4.0% increase over the past year. The labor force participation rate remained unchanged at 62.7% for the third consecutive month, indicating that the proportion of Americans either working or actively seeking work has stabilized. The report also included upward revisions to job gains for July and August, adding a combined 72,000 more jobs than previously reported. 

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In a major legal twist, President Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness plan has been blocked once again. Just yesterday, a federal judge in Georgia dismissed the state's lawsuit, saying they didn't have enough standing to sue. But then the case moved to Missouri, where a judge appointed by Trump issued a new injunction temporarily stopping the plan from moving forward.

Here's why it matters: The ruling bars the U.S. Department of Education from erasing any student debt until the court reviews the case. The GOP-led states behind the lawsuit claim Biden's plan harmed state-run agencies like the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA). The judge is saying if Biden cancels loans now, the case cannot be reviewed properly.

Legally, it's a huge delay, and financially, it leaves millions of borrowers, especially Black students, hanging. The legal battle could take weeks or months, meaning the promised debt relief is on hold.

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A federal judge has given the green light to President Biden's student loan forgiveness plan, which could provide relief for over 25 million Americans. The ruling allowed a restraining order that had previously blocked the plan to expire, marking a major victory for the Biden administration after months of legal challenges.

The plan will forgive up to $20,000 in accrued interest for borrowers, particularly targeting those with long repayment periods or high debt. Single borrowers earning less than $120,000 and couples earning less than $240,000 could see significant relief if enrolled in income-driven repayment plans.

Despite the win, Republican-led states are arguing the plan oversteps the administration's authority and could hurt taxpayers. This plan is estimated to cost $147 billion over the next decade, with millions expected to benefit when the program is finalized this fall. However, further legal battles loom as opponents may seek new injunctions to halt the relief before it can fully take effect.

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